16 November 6 - 12, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents well as the eclectic space it brought to the Casa Linda neighborhood in East Dallas. Local musician Madison King, chef Joey Fink, Russ Kirk and Pablo Rivera were all backing the kitchen, and while they’re broke and bummed now, they’re not done bringing us home cookin’ and community just yet. But we’ll have to stay tuned for what’s next. Nikki Greek Bistro & Lounge 5757 W. Lovers Lane Nikki Greek Bistro & Lounge has closed, and on Friday, Nov. 14, it will reopen as The Dev- onshire Club, transitioning from Greek fine dining to a sophisticated yet welcoming neighborhood bar and lounge that serves American fare. The owners are switching gears to better support what the neighbor- hood wants, which chef Jacob Williamson says is a place where people can linger, so- cialize and enjoy great food. The details are still being worked out, but what we do know is that the new spot will offer happy hour six days a week from 3-7 p.m. Elaine’s Kitchen 2717 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Elaine’s Kitchen closed on Saturday, Oct. 18, after nearly 40 years serving Jamaican food in South Dallas. Elaine Patricia Campbell founded the original restaurant in 1987, be- fore it moved locations in 2008. After Elaine passed in 2023, her nephew Matthew Gra- ham took over the restaurant for two years before it closed last month. He wanted to keep the restaurant open for the community, but ultimately, it was in Campbell’s will to close. Graham also attributed the rise in food costs to the closure. Society Bakery and Tea Room 1926 Skillman St. This month, the Oak Cliff Advocate reported that Society Bakery + Tea Room cleared out of its space on Skillman Street, and that there are for-lease signs on the shop’s win- dows. It had been on Greenville Avenue for 20 years, but after its lease expired, it relo- cated to Skillman to expand. Origin Kitchen + Bar 4438 McKinney Ave. Origin Kitchen + Bar, a longtime restaurant in Uptown known for its healthy cuisine, closed on Sunday, Oct. 26. Owners Jessica and Russell Aldredge decided not to renew their lease. The restaurant began as Origin Natural Food, a coffee shop offering grab- and-go meals. It rebranded in 2013 to Origin Kitchen + Bar and expanded to offer a sit- down dining experience with a broader menu. It was beloved for its plates of healthy options that catered to paleo, dairy-free, glu- ten-free and other health-conscious folk. El Califia de León Pop-Up The collaboration between the first and only Michelin-starred taqueria in the world and GrinGO LLC was a dumpster fire, and the pop-up ended almost before it ever began. El Califia de León was supposed to run a two- week pop-up experience for us to try its re- nowned tacos, but ended days into the experience due to issues related to the qual- ity, space and raw materials. ▼ BUSINESS CHILI’S BRINGS BACK FAN FAVORITE DISH IS THE SKILLET QUESO THE GLUE THAT HOLDS CHILI’S TOGETHER? BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS L ike it or not, Chili’s is as much a part ofBig D as the Cowboys and JR. The fast-casual restaurant was founded in 1975 in Dallas by longtime local restaurateur Larry Levine. The chili soft tacos were for- mative, and the baby back ribs jingle lives on as an iconic earworm. The restaurant has gone through some changes lately, fussing with consumer pal- ates and budgets. In 2022, they changed the recipe for their Chicken Crispers from a soft, pillowy, tempura-like batter to a more traditional batter. People were ready to riot. Recently, they also read the room and saw that people are watching their dining City of Ate from p15 Nick Reynolds Be Home Soon in East Dallas closed in late October.
